Beck at 3 weeks

He is ten pounds as of Monday, September 1. He is sleeping fairly well. His neck muscles are strong and all is well. Unfortunately, he has blocked tear ducts in both of his eyes, which is a common condition for newborns, according to the doctor, but it is unpleasant because it makes his eyes goopy all the time. Yuck! I guess it will resolve itself some time before he turns one. Could be a couple of months or several. But he is very healthy overall. His favorite thing is sleeping at the moment. He likes the ocean sounds on his swing, but he doesn't necessarily like swinging--go figure.

A few more summer pics

Phoebe and Brett made sugar cookie words. She likes her letters! Ignore my face--it's a pretty embarrassing picture, but I included it because I can't believe how much it really does look like I shoved a basketball up my shirt--man he was round and sticky-outy. Phoebe and Ike shared a snack at the top of the slide. And Ruby and Iain spent a morning with Phoebe at the zoo.

Summer Pics

I know I'm crazy with posting, and I REALLY should be studying, but I am playing catch up and I just want to capture so many of these moments before they are too far away or gone altogether. So here are some memorable pictures from the summer:

Swimming on Independance Day

Phoebe's version of "watching" fireworks

Giant bugs at Morton Arboretum

and a beautiful day in Millennium Park watching a performance called Strange Fruit

Busiest Year+ Ever (almost over--phew!)

For a little over a year, life in our house has been the most chaotic, rushed, and stressful that we have ever experienced, but the end is finally in sight and we hope to resume a more normal pace in less than a month. Last school year (07-08) began a whirlwind of activities for us. With Phoebe being at an age that requires constant entertainment and engagement, we didn't have a moment of down time. Brett and I were working full time and going to school part time. Brett took a class in the fall and so did I. We both had new classes to teach--I gained two new classes that I had to prepare all new material for and Brett gained one new class. On the weekends, we were taking turns taking Phoebe to museums, zoos, orchards, etc. to share the world with her and spend as much time as possible with her since she was in day care on the week days. Sometimes one of us would go on an adventure with her while the other stayed home to catch up on work, homework, or studying. But often, we would both end up going because we didn't want to miss out on the excursion and the Phoebe time, so we wound up spending most of our nights up late playing catch-up. Late in the fall, I got pregnant, which we chose to do, but it made things a little more difficult because I didn't have the same kind of leisure rest time that I had when I was pregnant with Phoebe. In the spring, Brett added some complications to the mix by coaching track--which he had done for the past two years, but this year, he decided to do his internship for his degree at the same time. In the past, he did not take any classes or extra work while coaching. So, I was taking a class, working full time, and taking care of Phoebe almost exclusively because Brett's track schedule did not allow him to be home much, and when he was home, he often had to get his coursework and school prep/grading done since his plan period was taken up with the internship--though he did manage to do as much as possible with Phoebe and to help me whenever he could. In the summer, Brett took one class on Saturdays and I took two that went all day on Tuesdays and Thursdays and we chose to remodel our kitchen. Thankfully, on August 7th (the day I went into labor with Beck) I finished my two classes, thus concluding my coursework for my M.A. in English literature and Brett finished his class 4 days earlier, also concluding his coursework for his 2nd M.A., this one in Educational Leadership (his first is in English--specifically rhetoric and composition). Our kitchen is mostly done except for some small corrections and finishing touches as of this past weekend (labor day). We can cook and clean, and we have a dishwasher! And all I have left for this degree is a very scary test that is fast approaching on September 27 (and for which I should be studying right now instead of posting). Once that is over, I think we will be able to drop our shoulders a little and run at a moderate pace. I am home for the year. Phoebe begins preschool (two days a week for 2.5 hours/day) next week, and Beck turns one month old on Friday. I plan to embrace and enjoy every minute of their development as I get to spend this time with them.

Phoebe's baby

Phoebe said this morning, "When I get old like you [Mommy], I'm going to have a baby in my belly. My baby's name is going to be Uno."
We ate at Pizzeria Uno on Friday night and apparently she likes the name. :)

In honor of Labor Day I'm sharing the stories of my most difficult work.

How long were your labors?
Kid #1, 12 hours.
Kid #2, 5.5 hours

How did you know you were in labor?
Kid #1, 5 weeks early, water broke 12:00 a.m. contractions began much later at the hospital. The entire labor took place in the hospital.
Kid #2, 1 week early, water broke 10:30 p.m. contractions began 1.5 hours later. Most of the labor took place at home in the tub. The hardest labor took place in the car. Got to the hospital just in time for the pushing.

Where did you deliver?
Kid #1, Little Company of Mary Hospital where I was stuck in a delivery room bed without getting up for 12 hours.
Kid #2, almost in the car, but thankfully with some soothing from Mom and careful but aggressive driving from my husband, with 15 minutes to spare, we made it into the delivery room at West Suburban Medical Center's Alternative Birthing Center

Drugs?
Kid #1, pitocin and epidural
Kid #2, au natural--painful, but worth it

C-section?
nope

Who delivered?
Kid #1- Dr. Bonaminio--a stand-in for my original Doctor who had her baby two months before mine and, of course, left the practice to take care of her child for a while. I ended up not loving my new doctor, so I sought a new one for the second pregnancy. I really wanted a woman and a less medical experience overall
Kid #2- the midwives at Women's Healthcare Center in Forest Park--specifically, Shirley. She was awesome! All of them are, but she did the delivery. She was at the hospital and ready for my incredibly fast, intense delivery, and for a minute or two, Beck was stuck at the shoulder. She did some amazing maneuvering and got him out quickly without harming him or me.